Devotionals

The author of Hebrews tells us that God’s discipline may seem painful at the moment, but the lasting harvest of righteousness that it creates is well worth all the trouble we must endure (Heb. 12:3–11). Not all of the pain ...Read More

Friends and even family may exert great pressure on us to join with them in their sin. They may appeal to our loyalties and try to guilt us into covering up a misdeed that should be reported or beg us ...Read More

The principle that we are not to make oaths in the name of anyone but God alone is a powerful reminder of the sanctity of God’s name. When we use the Lord’s name in vain, we are attributing to someone ...Read More

Believers are concerned to mortify sin and grow in holiness, so it is easy to become discouraged when we feel like we are failing in this task and are struggling against the sins that seem to overpower us. If you ...Read More

Over the centuries, understanding the fleeting nature of political power has helped the church to stand firm in the midst of persecution. When one understands that the rulers of this earth have influence and might only temporarily but that God’s ...Read More

John Calvin comments on today’s passage: “God is only rightly served when his law is obeyed. It is not left to every man to frame a system of religion according to his own judgment, but the standard of godliness is ...Read More

God’s choice to raise the poor and needy from the dust to sit with royalty does not mean He does not do the same for the wealthy. In light of the entire witness of Scripture, we understand that the poor ...Read More

Wise people maintain the distinction between Creator and creature, recognizing that there are some matters where God has chosen to remain silent. They respect the Lord’s decision and do not try to speak where He has not spoken. They trust ...Read More

One of the first manifestations of ungodly wisdom occurred in the garden of Eden just after Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit. Instead of turning to the Lord, our first parents hid from Him. That is not the model ...Read More

Certain books and passages of Scripture have played greater roles in the history of theology than others; thus, it’s no surprise that some portions of the Bible are read more often than others. However, we must not make the mistake ...Read More